Development and happiness: Both are possible

Gross domestic product (GDP) is the indicator that has traditionally been used to measure economic activity. However, it is now understood that a country’s development also involves many other variables, including those related to the environment, education, and health. Bhutan went a step further by developing the Gross National Happiness index, which measures a society’s happiness on the basis of criteria that are not purely economic. This approach can be extrapolated to organizations, which increasingly have the double objective of being financially sustainable while also having a positive impact on society.